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#cordlesstools #blower #leafblower
Having a completely portable blower, with enough output to do the job of removing debris or clearing off an area, is REALLY handy!
We’ve recently bought the DeWalt® DCBL722 Axial Blower as a bare tool - without a charger or battery. The unit costs $149 and is part of the DeWalt® 20V Flexivolt Platform.
The tool without the battery weighs just under 8 pounds/3.6 kg and is well-balanced even after the battery is added. The packaging was more than adequate and the contents were nested well and damage-free. There are only 4 items when the package is opened - the main blower unit, the tube, concentrator tip, and documentation.
Putting it together is straightforward, although the latch that holds the blower tube to the blower body is a bit finicky. It’s best to understand how it works before assembling the unit and then attempting to take it apart. Said another way, it’s easier to put the unit together than it is to take it apart!
There are two types of blowers; centrifugal and axial. This is an axial unit - the fan’s central axis is in line with the flow of air and the motor shaft. If you think of the turbine blades of a jet engine, you’ve got the right idea. Centrifugal blowers have the fan perpendicular to the flow of the air, with the motor off to the side. The drying fans in car washes are typically this type.
Some key specifications include a sound rating of 61dB, velocity output of up to 125 mph (201 kph), the maximum CFM (cubic foot per minute) produced by this unit is 450.
Practically, this unit packs enough power to quickly clear a smooth area or lawn of leaves. It’s not too heavy, well balanced, and has a reasonable run time before depleting the battery. We contacted DeWalt® Technical Services to get their insights on battery life. Unfortunately, they were not that helpful and only offered general observations while citing variables such as temperature, how old the battery was, the condition of the blower, what speed it was run at, and so forth. Even so, they said that a typical battery (they did not reference what capacity battery) would allow for a running time of about 20 minutes.
Our experience is a 5 aH battery, with the blower running at full speed, is just short of 20 minutes. However, we get much longer life running the unit at half to three-quarter speed. This does two things: extend the battery life and reduce “blow-back” when clearing debris. There are many settings in which a lower flow of air works well - including in corners and along walls.
We found this tool to be very handy and have decided to store it in the house along with other household care and maintenance tools and supplies. We built a hanger/charger base for placement in our mudroom. You can watch the construction and installation of the hanger and charger base here:
• Cordless Tool and Char...
We’ll return one year later and give another review of how this blower has faired. Our initial impressions are positive, but time will tell. Watch for the update here!
In the meantime, having tools like this makes routine jobs easier and more likely to be accomplished ongoing and help you to JUST DO IT YOURSELF!
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